Lever mechanism



ASSJHIZ March 25 1924.,

v R. A. GOELLER LEVER MECHANI SM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 12, 1921March 25 1924. L488,M2 R. A. GOELLER LEVER MECHANISM Filed Dec. 12 19212 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented' Mar. 25, 1924.

nonnen: n. GoELLEa, or NEW Yoan, N. Y., AssrGNon or oNELHALr ro Baumannences, or NEW YORK, N. v.

LEVER MECEANISM.

Application led December 12, 1921. 'Serial No. 521,650.

' To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT A; GOELLER, a citizen of the UnitedStates,and a resident of New York, county of Bronx, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements `in Lever Meehan-ism, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lever operating mechanism and moreparticularly to the type of lever mechanism used for operating knifeswitches and devices of like character.

It is realized that the lever mechanism which forms the subject matterof this invention is adapted for many uses and is capable of generalapplication, but in order to make clear one adaptation of the structurevthe mechanism will be described as switch operatin mechanism and inconnection with the problem involved in such an adaptation.

Electric switches of the knife-blade type require a very strong initialleverage because of the heavy initial friction to be overome in opening.Furthermore when the knife blades are about to break contact with theterminals a rapid or quick action is necessary to prevent arcing andburning of the contacts. Sometimes a spring actuated toggle mechanism isused in such switches .but in such cases although the spring gives thedesired quick break it must be very stiff or strong to overcome theinitial friction and this makes the movement of the actuating leverwhich compresses the spring very stiff and difficult of accomplishment.

One of the objects of this invention, therefore, is to provide leveroperating mechanism that will be positive in action and easy to operate.

Another object of the invention is to `ro- M vide mechanism of thecharacter described so constructed and arranged as to cause the actuatedmembers such as knife blades to have in opening, a comparatively slowinitial movement but a rapidly accelerated subsequent movement.

` Another object of the invention is to rovide lever mechanism soconstructed an arranged as to produce a comparatively great initlalleverage when-moved in one direction' and to decrease the .leveragegradually as the requirements are lessened.

Another object of the invention is to rovide lever mechanism soconstructed an arranged as to ei'ect upon movement in one W direction agreat initial leverage and to gradually decrease the leverage as the reapart of this application and in which- Fig. 1 'is a top plan view of theinvention as applied to a multipole switch.

F1 2 is a sectional elevation taken substantlally on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is an end elevation of-the construction shown in Fi s. 1 and 2,portions of the switch being bro en away to more clearly show theremaining parts.

Fi 4 is a diagrammatic view of the switc shown in Figs. 1-3 with theparts shown in switch open position and Fig. 5 is an elevation, more orless diagrammatic, showingA a simpler form of switch having my inventionembodied therein.

The invention may be brieHy described as comprising a frame having anactuating so member pivoted thereon, an actuated member pivoted thereonon a ivot s aced from the pivot of the rst mem er an means such as a.link pivoted to and connecting said members, the pivots being so locatedthat the initial movement of the actuating member will cause acomparatively slow and comparativel small initial movement of theactuated mem er'from one extreme position but the further and subsequentmovement of the actuating member will cause a comparatively large and acomparatively rapid movement of the actuated member.

In the articular embodiment ofthe iuvention il ustrated, as abovestated, the lever mechanism has been shown in connection with multi-poleknife switch actuating' mechanism and in Figs. 1-4 inclusive, a toggle'switch is illustrated and in Fig. 5 a simple, manually operated switchvis illus- X00 trated. f

Referring first to Figs. 1 4, the frame of the switch is shown at 10 and'haslegs 11 adapted to be secured to a support and laterally extendinglugs 12 adapted to re- 105 ceive securing means for the cover or casing(not shown).

The actuating lever 13 is pivoted at 14 to the frame and has a handle 15by means of which it may be operated. The lever also MQ has a pair oflaterally extending lugs 16 which project into slots 17 formed in theframe and limit the throw of the operating ever.

The lower end of the o erating lever is slotted as shown at 18 and as abridge por tion 19 between the slotand an opening 20 in the lever. Thisbri e portion receives a forked or bifurcated en 21 of a rod 22,'theopposite -end of which extends through an opening or slot 23 formedin the bottom or cross portion 24 of a saddle member v25, the latterbein' pivoted at 26 to the frame 10. A spring 2% surrounds the rod 22and is ositioned between the'part 24 and a was er 27 at the forked end21 of the rod.

The 'portion 24 of the saddle member has formed thereon an extension 28to which is pivoted at 29 alink 30. The opposite end of this link ispivoted at 31 to a member 32 which may be termed a knife blade carrierand to which are secured on insulated posts, as showngat 33, the knifeblades 34. The carrier 32 is pivoted at 35 to the frame 1 0. Theportions 24 and 28 of the saddle member 25 engage stops 24 and 28 formedby the frame 10 thereby limiting the throw of the saddle member.

The operation of the construction shown in Figs. 1-4 inclusive, will nowbe .brieiy outlined. As illustrated particularly in Fig. 2, it will benoted that the pivots 26, 29 and 31 in the closed position of the switchare substantiall alined and that the link 30 is disposed su antiallyatright angles to the blade carrier and knife blades. As will, of course,be understoodthe initial movement. of the to gle lever 13 compresses thes prin 27 and t 1s compression 1s continued unti the spring rod 22 isthrown over dead center whereuponA the spring will actuate the saddle 25and. will cause the blades to disengage from the contact terminals.Because .of the peculiar arrangement and relative locations of thepivots 26, 29 and 35, the initial movement of the saddle will cause a-very slow movement of the knife blades, with but slight acceleration,until they are released from their coengaging contact terminals. Thisrelative location of the pivots also res'ults in a comparatively greatleverage to overcome the frlction between the blades and the contactmembers. When, however, the blades are freed from .the contacts orareabout to be freed, the further movement of thesaddie will cause a rapidacceleration of the blades thereb preventing arcing or burnin of the blaes and termlnal contacts. From t e showing in Fig. 4 the inalpositionsof the respective pivots and actuating and actuated arts may beunderstood. It will be noted t at the pivot 29 has moved to a positionmuch closer to the pivot 35 than its initial position and because ofthis fact the leverage has been decreased. The operathe rate of movementof the'blades is increased.

' Without explaining in detail the reverse movement of the levermechanism, it will be understood that the initial return movement willbe rapid and that the leverage will-increase and the rate of movement ofthe parts will be decreased as the switch is closed. Thus a highleverage will be obtained as the friction increases due to theengagement of a greater area of the contacts by the knife blades'.

In Fig. 5 is illustrated a simpler embodiment of the invention and inthis embodiment the spring toggle mechanism is not utilized. A lever 250corresponds to the saddle 25 in Fig. 2 but this lever is provided withan extension 251 beyond its pivot 260 at which point it is pivoted onthe frame 10. A link 300 is pivoted at 290 to the lever 250 and ispivoted at 310 to the knife blade carrier or the knife blade 320. Thepart 320 is pivoted at 350 to the frame 10.

The operation of the device shown in Fig. 5 is slightly less involvedthan that in the construction shown in Figs.` 1-3 but the similaritybetween the two. constructions will be obvious when it is borne in mindthat instead. of actuating the saddle 25 as shown in Fig. 3 by means ofspring toggle mechanism, the corresponding member 250 in Fig. 5 isextended beyond its pivot and is directly operated. When the extension251 of the lever 250 is swung on its pivot 260 the initial movement ofthis lever will cause the link to swing from the substantially verticalposition about its pivot 310. This will cause aA slow movement of theknife carrier 320 and a comparatively large leverage will be obtained.When the blades or blade 4carrier 320 has moved through a suliicientangle to clear the co-engaging contact members the link 300 which hasbeen swinging from the vertical toward the horizontal position willexert a more direct pull on the carrier 320 and will cause this carrierto move at a rapid rate. As was the case with the construction shown inFigs. 1-4, the

pivot 290 in the position assumed when the' Meana ing movement as theblades break contact, may be briefly outlined as follows.

With the ordinary quick break switch the period of breaking of thecircuit is very short due to the fact that the blades attain theirmaximum rate of speed substantially at the start of their openingmovement, causing a violent line fluctuation due to the extremely rapidchan e in resistance between the circuit brea -'ng members.

However with the construction described mechanism and the mechanicalmovementby means of which the results are accomplished are capable ofgeneral application and are not limited to the particular form of theinvention shown. Moreover, where horizontal or vertical positions arementioned they are so shown and described merely as matterofconvenience.

Furthermore, although certain specific embodiments of the invention havebeen illustrated and described,.it will be understood that the inventionis capable of further modification and that further changes in theconstruction and in the arrangement of the various cooperatin parts maybe made without departing rom the spirit or scope of the invention asexpressed in the following claims.

What YI' claim is:

1. In combination, a frame, a member ivoted thereon, toggle means forswing ing said member on its pivot, .a second member pivoted on saidlframe on a pivot spaced from the ivot of the first mentioned memlier andagink pivoted to both of said members, the link pivots and pivot of thefirst member being substantially alined in their initial positions.

2. A switch comprising a frame, a member pivoted thereon, toggle meansincluding a spring-for swinging said member on its pivot, a bladepivoted on said frame on a pivot spaced from the pivot of the firstmentioned member, and a link pivoted to said member and said blade.

3. A switch comprising a frame, a lever ivoted thereon, a saddle pivotedon said rame, a toggle connection including a spring between the leverand the saddle, blade carrying means pivoted on said frame and a linkpivoted to said saddle and to said blade carrying means.4

4. A switch comprising a frame, a lever ivoted thereon, 'a saddlepivoted on said rame, a toggle connection including aspring between thelever and the saddle, blade carrying means pivoted on said frame and alink pivoted to said saddle and to said blade carrying means, saidsaddle pivot and link pivots being disposed in substantial alinementwhen the parts are inlswitch closing position. v

5. A switch comprising a frame, a lever pivoted thereon, a saddlepivoted onsaid frame, a toggle connection including a s ring between thelever and the saddle, b ade carrying means pivoted on said frame and alink pivoted to said saddle and to said blade carrying means, said linkbeing disposed at an angle to a line intersecting the pivots of theblade carrying means and saddle when the parts are in switch closingposition.

6. A knife switch comprising a frame, an actuating lever pivotedthereon, an actuated member pivoted on the frame, knife blades carriedthereby, and a link connecting said actuating member and actuatedmember, the pivots of said actauted and actuating members on the frameand the link pivotal connections to said members bein so constructed andarranged that the lntial closing movement of the actuating member willeffect a relatively faster movement of the actuated member and bladesand further closing movement of the actuating member, as the bladesengage their contacts, will effect a movement of the actuated member andblades under an increasing leverage at a decreased rate with respect tothe rate of movement of the actuating member, and the initial openinmovement of the blades will be relatively s ow and under relativelygreat leverage and the further opening movement will be accelerated witha decreasing leverage. Y

7. A knife switch comprising a frame, a

ber pivoted on the frame, a link connecting said lever and saidv memberand spring toggle mechanism pivoted on the frame and connected toactuate the lever, the parts being so constructed. and arranged thatinitial movement of the toggle mechanism in either direction willcompress the spring.

8. A switch comprising a frame, a hand lever pivoted thereon, a saddlelever pivoted on the frame on a pivot disposed below `lever pivotedtheron, a knife carrying memthe lever pivot, a compressible, resilientconnection between the'lower portion of said hand lever and the saddlelever, a knife carrier pivoted on the frame on a pivot laterally spacedfrom the saddle lever pivot and a link pivoted to the carrier and to thesaddle lever.

9. A switch comprising a frame, a hand lever pivoted thereon, a saddlelever pivoted on the frame on a pivot disposed below the lever pivot, acompressible, resilient connection between the lower portion of saidhand lever' and the saddle lever, a knife carrier pivoted on theframe ona pivot laterally s aced from the saddle lever pivot anda link pivotedto the carrier and to the saddle lever, the link pivots and saddle leverpivot being disposed in alinement when the switch is in closed'position. i

10. A switch comprising a frame, a hand lever pivoted thereon, asaddle-lever pivoted on the frame on a pivot. disposed below Ithe handlever pivot, a compressible, resilient connection between the lowerportion of said hand lever and the saddle lever, a knife carrier`pivoted on theframe on a pivot laterally spad from the saddle leverpivot- 11. A knife switch comprising a frame, spring toggle'mechanismthereon, a manually operable lever for setting said spring togglemechanism in operation, knife blades and means connecting said springtoggle mechanism, andA blades, operable upon the actuation of and by thespring toggle mechanism, to open or close the switch, said connectingmeans being constructed and arranged to give a heavy initial openingleverage and a Iheavy final closing leverage.

12. A knife switch comprising a frame, spring toggle mechanism thereon,a mannally operable lever for setting said spring toggle mechanism inoperation, knife blades and link means connecting said spring togglemechanism and blades, operable upon the actuation of and by the springtoggle mechanism, to open or close the switch said connecting meansbeing constructed and arranged to ive a heavy initial opening leverageand a ieavy final closing leverage,-

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day1 ofDecember, 1921 ROBERT A. GOELLER.

